Recently, the world has witnessed extraordinary weather conditions, which may be the result of global warming. Lightning cloud scale is large compared with standard cloud types, and insulation provided by the atmosphere has been decreasing as humidity and rainfall have increased. Further, it is believed that lightning clouds are forming closer to the earth's surface resulting in the increased potential for lightning strikes. Additionally, as wind energy generating options become more commonly deployed, the possibility of lightning damage to these relatively sensitive structures increases.
A variety of lightning protection systems and equipment is known in the prior art. The objective in any successful lighting amelioration system is to provide a location for lightning to strike, and a preferred conductive path to safely dissipate current. For example, disclosure JP2005327581A, to Makoto, et al., entitled Lightning Rod Device, discloses, in part, a lightning rod device having a radial horizontal rod part, a ring-shaped rod part, and a radial slanted rod part surrounding a pillar. While the Makoto's device is easy to deploy, it does not appear particularly customizable. In addition, JP 2006164661A to Yuichi, discloses, in part, a Lightning Rod having an annular receiving part with radially disposed projecting needles on a lightning rod. Further, reference JP11040390A to Giichiro, discloses, in part, an Insulating Type Lightning Conductor, having an insulating pipe with a plurality of insulators integrally fixed to a lightning conductor supporting pipe, and other components. JP2006209984A to Makoto, et al, discloses, in part, a Lightning Rod Device having the capability to expand lightning-receiving range for a lightning strike by extending a pair of horizontally disposed rods centrally crossing and coupled to a ring-shaped rod. While Makoto does feature some ability to customize the apparatus, the options appear restricted to increasing the length of the horizontal rods and, by extension, the circumferential distance of the ring-shaped rod. JP5121192A to Shuzo, discloses, in part, a Lightning Rod with Ring, and similar to Yuichi, having a horizontal ring axially disposed around vertical bar-like conductor, having a conducting cone which increases the protection area with an overall shorter lightning rod. Reference JP8330093A, to Takashi, et al., discloses, in part, a Lightning Arrester Rod, having a lightning arrestor rod shaped like a tree branch and wired along a tree. Reference JP4249895A, to Nobuo, et al, discloses, in part, a Lightning Discharger and Outdoor Structure Equipped with the Device. This invention appears to be adaptable as an electrical receiving unit mounted to an outdoor structure (such as a sodium lamp) to protect the structure against lightning. This apparatus seems to be limited to mounting the conductor directly on the structure to be protected.
While the disclosed references may offer a degree of lightning protection, they are not particularly customizable to protect equipment or structure of varying size, shape, and location. What is needed is an apparatus having a relatively low impedance structure that serves to minimize structural damage or protect areas of interest by directing current from a direct strike as well as offer the option to provide management of lightning electromagnetic impulse (LEMP). What is further needed is a system that may be adapted to protect structure from a lightning stroke arising from variety of directions.